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Archiver > Huguenot > 2004-06 > 1086551148


From: "Tony Fuller" <>
Subject: Direct passage to America
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 20:45:53 +0100
References: <b2.2ceb7972.2df4b2e5@aol.com> <000f01c44bfc$4cc46e40$0200a8c0@linda>


Hi Guys

Although I'm in the UK where membership of the Hug Soc is much more relaxed,
my understanding is that very few ships sailed directly from France to
America. The only place where a direct Huguenot link has been required was
for admission to the Hospital, La Providence, but even that is now being
relaxed slightly.

In France it was illegal to transport people, other than clergy away from
the shores of France and whilst many of the Huguenot refugees fled to the
Low Countries or to England, the vast majority of them did so illegally. If
people were caught transporting Huguenots by sea, it usually meant being
confined to the galleys, being fined very heavily or having their property,
including their boats, confiscated.

I finds the SC Society interesting - they take information about non-pure
(in their terms) Huguenots but don't let them join the Society and it seems
that both US Societies preclude Huguenots fighting in the Cevenne and Le
Desert - they were Huguenots after all but, that's not my argument I'm
pleased to say.

If anybody has any hard evidence of there being direct passage between
France and America, I'd love to see it. And not from Baird or Smiles
please, some hard primary source evidence as it would make a useful addition
to the Hug Soc web site.

Regards

Tony Fuller

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